Everyone said it was a "weak" class. If you spent any time scrolling through Twitter or listening to the big-name podcasts in the spring of 2024, the consensus was basically that the draft was a total dud. No Victor Wembanyama. No Zion Williamson. Not even a Brandon Miller type that everyone could agree on. But now that we’ve had a couple of years to actually see these guys run on an NBA floor, that 2024 NBA mock draft cycle looks a whole lot different than it did at the time.
Honestly, the draft experts were mostly panicking because there wasn't a clear-cut Alpha. Atlanta winning the lottery with a 3% chance didn't help the "chaos" narrative either. It forced scouts to choose between French wings, Kentucky guards who didn't even start, and a 7-foot-4 Canadian who supposedly couldn't move his feet.
Looking back, the "weak" label was probably a bit lazy. It wasn't weak; it was just flat. The gap between the first pick and the twentieth pick was tiny compared to most years. That’s why your favorite team’s 2024 NBA mock draft likely changed every three days leading up to June.
The Risacher vs. Sarr Debate That Defined the Top
For months, the fight for the number one spot was a game of musical chairs. One week it was Alex Sarr because of his absurd 7-foot-1 frame and switchability. The next, it was Zaccharie Risacher because, let’s be real, every NBA team is desperate for a 6-foot-9 wing who can actually hit a three-pointer.
Atlanta eventually pulled the trigger on Risacher. It was a "safe" pick that some people hated. Why? Because Risacher isn't a guy who’s going to break you down off the dribble and drop 40. He’s a connector. He shoots about 39% from deep and plays smart defense.
On the other hand, the Washington Wizards grabbed Alex Sarr at number two. Sarr is the classic "upside" play. He moves like a wing but blocks shots like a traditional center. While his offensive game was—and sort of still is—a major work in progress, his defensive floor was always sky-high. He’s essentially what you’d get if you tried to build a modern defensive anchor in a lab, even if he still struggles to finish through contact in the paint sometimes.
Why Reed Sheppard Was the Mock Draft Darling
If you look at any 2024 NBA mock draft from late May, Reed Sheppard’s name was soaring. It’s not hard to see why. The kid shot 52.1% from three at Kentucky. Read that again. Fifty-two percent.
Houston took him at three, and it was a match made in heaven. They needed shooting; he is a human flamethrower. But the reason he climbed so high wasn't just the jumper. It was the "stocks"—steals and blocks. Despite being 6-foot-2, Sheppard had some of the best defensive instincts in the class, averaging 2.5 steals per game. People worried his size would make him a liability, but his brain works faster than most players' feet.
The Mid-Lottery Chaos: Steals and Surprises
The middle of the first round is where the "experts" usually get humbled. In 2024, that humble pie was served by names like Zach Edey and Dalton Knecht.
- Zach Edey (No. 9, Memphis): Most mocks had Edey going in the late teens or even the twenties. The "he's too slow for the modern NBA" talk was loud. Memphis didn't care. They needed a massive human to set screens for Ja Morant and grab rebounds. Edey has been much better than the skeptics predicted, proving that being 7-foot-4 and skilled never actually goes out of style.
- Dalton Knecht (No. 17, LA Lakers): This was the slide of the night. Knecht was a consensus top-10 talent in almost every 2024 NBA mock draft. When he fell to the Lakers at 17, the internet nearly broke. Teams were scared off by his age (23), but the Lakers got a guy who could score 20 points in his sleep from day one.
- Stephon Castle (No. 4, San Antonio): Pairing a lockdown defender like Castle with Victor Wembanyama was a stroke of genius. Castle’s jumper was the big question mark, but his winning pedigree from UConn made him a lock for the top five.
What Most People Got Wrong
The biggest misconception about the 2024 class was that "no stars" meant "no value."
We’re seeing now that guys like Bub Carrington (who went 14th) and Devin Carter (13th) were massively undervalued as secondary playmakers. Carrington, specifically, had a "pro" game from the jump, using his 6-foot-4 frame to get to his spots in the mid-range.
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Also, the French invasion wasn't just a fluke. Beyond Risacher and Sarr, Tidjane Salaün going 6th to Charlotte showed that NBA teams are now willing to gamble on "raw" international talent earlier than ever. Salaün was only 18 on draft night, basically a ball of clay that the Hornets are still trying to mold into a two-way star.
The 2024 NBA Mock Draft Reality Check
If you're looking back at your team's draft grade, don't get too hung up on the initial reactions. Draft night is about perception; the following two years are about reality.
The 2024 class is proving to be a "role player's paradise." Maybe there isn't an MVP in this group, but there are about fifteen guys who look like they’ll be starters on winning teams for a decade. In a league where salary cap depth is becoming everything, hitting on a "boring" pick like Tristan da Silva (No. 18 to Orlando) is actually more valuable than swinging and missing on a high-variance bust.
How to Evaluate Your Team's 2024 Pick Now
If you want to see if your team actually "won" the draft, stop looking at the points per game. Look at these three things instead:
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- Relatability to the Stars: Does the player make life easier for the team's best player? (e.g., Reed Sheppard spacing the floor for Sengun).
- Defensive Versatility: Can they switch onto three different positions without getting cooked? This is why Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland stayed in the top 10 despite shooting struggles.
- The "Second Jump": Did they improve their swing skill (usually shooting) between their rookie and sophomore years?
To get a better handle on how these players are trending, you should check out the latest advanced tracking data on NBA.com or cleaningtheglass.com. Comparing a player's "expected" role from their 2024 NBA mock draft profile to their actual on-court usage will tell you everything you need to know about their long-term ceiling.
Go back and watch the Summer League highlights of the guys who "fell" in 2024—like Isaiah Collier or Kyle Filipowski. You'll often find that the teams who stayed patient and ignored the "weak draft" noise ended up with the biggest steals.